Mumbai, Feb. 4 :    Mumbai, Feb. 4:  Public sector companies (PSUs) turned out to be the scene-stealers on bourses a day before a Cabinet panel picks up the winner from a bevy of suitors vying for Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) and IBP. Shares of the two PSUs, whose fate will be decided on Tuesday, were among the smartest gainers as investors were fired by hopes that bids will be attractive. The runaway rise in the two stocks came amid a falling market and the gloom enveloping other sectors. The rally was also remarkable given that it happened on a day when the BSE sensex closed with a 17-point loss. Brokers attributed the decline in the market to the Friday's weak closing on the technology-based Nasdaq. Bourses were rife with rumours that the bids would be aggressive and that prices quoted by successful bidders will be much higher than market quotes. According to stock watchers, bids for VSNL shares could go up to Rs 200, while IBP's may hit Rs 1000. Speculative buying in the two companies triggered a general rally in PSU stocks, which have languished at low prices in comparison with private sector firms with similar potential. Experts expect a correction if Tuesday's announcement of price by the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment is in line with market predictions. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation gained six per cent, while Bharat Heavy Electricals, the power equipment maker, rose 3.3 per cent; Mahanagar Telephone Nigam, the telecom operator in Mumbai and Delhi, was up 1.5 per cent. State Bank of India went up 2.9 per cent. Corporation Bank, in which the life insurance major LIC holds a major stake, also soared. Other PSU banks rose on hopes that the government would dilute its stake. There were some brokers who tried to tread cautiously even as investor infatuation with PSUs touched new highs.